Tuesday's Training Tip: Check your App

One of my old running buddies joined me for a 3-mile run recently. Our schedules have changed and it has been months since we have been able to run together. She was using a fitness app that came installed on her phone. Holding her phone in her hand she giggled and said, “If I swing my arms when I walk, it thinks I’m running.” Not all apps are created equal.

We followed a three-mile loop that I have measured many times in many ways. I’ve used a GPS, an odometer, and I’ve plotted it on a map. I know the half mile and mile markers. Sure enough, her phone was way ahead of us! It is set to alert pace and distance every mile. At the ¾ mile mark it updated us with a fast pace! At the end of three miles it was congratulating us on our four-mile run and reporting a record performance. My app was spot on and our performance was not very impressive. My running buddy threatened to post our times on social media. I’m glad she didn’t. My relay team would be expecting so much more from me!

Ways to Avoid Inaccurate Data

Use an Odometer – Set your app to record a workout and then drive a distance of one mile. Compare the odometer reading to the distance recorded on the app. Do this a couple of times, but don’t share the recorded workout on social media!

Take it to the Track - Remember a track oval is 400 meters. You will need to switch your settings to record kilometers rather than miles. Four laps should read 1.6 kilometers. Don’t forget to switch the settings back to miles.

Secure your Device – If the app is sensitive enough to record arm swinging, you’ll want to secure it to another part of your body – preferably your waist or hip. Use a running belt or pocket in your running gear. Even upper arm movement can distort your data.

Don’t be fooled into believing you are running farther or faster. You’ll only be discouraged when next you run a 5K or 10K race! The truth is better than fiction. Besides – your real competition is yourself. Learn how you are doing and then work to improve.

Tune in every Tuesday for more training tips and visit my Training Tips page to find all the tips you may have missed.

Question: Do you have a training tip you would like to share? Post it in the comments below.

Happy Running!

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Learning New Technology

 For years I've been counseled to pursue lifelong learning. Technology is making that happen everyday! This blog post was composed on my phone. That might not be a big deal to some, but it's new for this granny. 

Ironically, I'm reminded of the verse in 2 Timothy when Paul describes the apostasy and perils that will occur in the last days - men shal be "ever learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." 

My conclusion? Learning is good (even technology) so long as the learner is seeking and focused on the truth. 

And there you have it - my first blog post from my iPhone!

Happy Running!

Tech support, passwords, and privacy! Oh, my!

I’ve been expanding my technical horizons and reaching out of my comfort zone this week. I’m attempting to design a website and it is challenging me a bit. I also upgraded my cell phone.  That was the real challenge. It’s a password thing.

When my husband returned home from work on Tuesday he found me in a state that he referred to as, “A gibbering idiot!”  And I was …

You see, I usually defer all telephone changes and upgrades to my tech guy – my eldest son. I had confessed to both hubby and son that I was afraid to activate my new phone.  I waited a day and attempted the activation.  My apprehension proved valid. 

The instructions said, “Call this number to activate your phone.” Okay, I did that. Something went wrong and eventually a live person came on the line.

“What is your password?” I gave her my password that I had recently changed because I could not remember the old one.  “That’s wrong.”

“But … that’s my password.”

“No, that’s your online account password. I need the other password.”

“What other password?” I was confused.

“The password for your account.”

“I just gave it to you!” Bother!

“I need the account owner’s password. Is he there?”

Of course he wasn’t there.  He was at work.

“Well, I can’t help you. I need to talk to the account owner.”

I informed her that the account owner set up the account fifteen years ago and that I make all the upgrade decisions, pay the bills, and otherwise manage the account. I left out the part about my tech guy.

“But you’re just the account manager. I can’t make any changes without speaking to the account owner.”

“Okay, well how CAN you help me?”

“I can tell you how to do it online. It’s really easy.”

Great.  Why didn’t she tell me that in the first place? She gave me the instructions and assured me again that it would be really easy. It wasn’t.

When I thought I had completed the activation, I discovered that I had merely turned off my existing phone.  I tried activating the new one – again.

Nothing.

I sent a Facebook message to my tech guy (because I had no phone!)

“I’m at work.  I can probably help you when I am free.”  Cool!  Now I was getting somewhere.

Later … “Okay, I’ve almost got it. You need to remove the SIM card from the old phone and put it in the new phone.”

“How do I do that?”

“There is an oval box on the side of the phone with a small pin hole in it.  Open that.”

There was no such box.  I know he thinks I’m afraid of technology – and I am – but there was no box!  He patiently explained where I would find the box.  It wasn’t there. I even watched the YouTube video that showed the box.  My phone had no such box!

My tech guy gave up.

I waited, becoming more frustrated and agitated as the hours passed. That’s when my hubby came home.

“Kevin, I hate change!  I hate it! Hate IT!” He kind of already knows that.  It’s the same reason that my waterski is 28 years-old and my life vest is following close behind.  It’s the reason I don’t move furniture around. I could go on, but that is a discussion for another post.  This post is about tech support, privacy, and passwords.

Hubby patiently got on his phone and called the provider.

“What is your password?”  He didn’t know his password. How would he know his password? It’s been 15 years!

“What are the last four digits of your SSN?” He gave him those numbers.

“What is your password?” Again with the password question!

“I can give you a hint …” The hint didn’t help.

“Can I change my password?”

“Sure!  What would you like it to be?”

Are you kidding me? I waited all day when I could have grabbed anyone with a man’s voice and had him make a call on his phone?

In the end, I have a new phone. I haven’t added all the apps I’m used to or put any music on it yet. I managed to upload a few random photos from the other phone and I have contact info from people I don’t even know. 

What I don’t have is the authority to make changes to my account with a phone call unless I have the account owner’s password! Guess who chose the password?  That’s right – I did! I feel SO much safer now.

Question: What changes do you struggle with because they don't prove as easy as promised?

Happy Running!

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